1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera, and, more particularly, to an improvement in the outer shape of a camera and that in the distribution of the internal structure of a camera which uses a film.
2. Related Background Art
Hitherto, there has been a problem arisen in that a camera can be easily shaken in a case where a photographer takes a picture while holding the camera by the hands. Furthermore, a camera of a certain shape, which cannot be easily supported, will exhaust the photographer. In a case where a zoom optical system photographing lens is employed, the above-described problems become further critical because the lens barrel of the above-described system is too heavy.
In order to overcome the above-described problems, a camera, the shape of which is arranged in such a manner that the camera can be easily supported by the hand of a photographer, has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1-207733.
A camera of the type disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1-207733 comprises: a lens barrel forward projecting over the camera body; and a grip portion forward projecting over the camera body substantially parallel to the axis of the lens barrel at the side of the same and formed integrally and continuously from the lens barrel for the purpose of eliminating the moment generated due to the dead weight of the lens barrel. As a result, by holding the grip portion thus arranged by the hand of the photographer, the camera can be supported while keeping a good camera balance even if a lens barrel possessing a long focal distance or a lens barrel capable of zooming in/out the subject is used. Furthermore, an erroneous photographing operation due to the camera shaking can be prevented.
However, a camera of the type disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1-207733 encounters a problem, as shown in FIG. 12, in that the arm of the photographer will be undesirably separated from the body when the photographer looks in the finder optical system, that is, the arm cannot be satisfactorily placed at the side of the photographer. If a photographing operation is carried out while holding the camera as described above, the camera cannot be stably supported. It will sometimes lead to a generation of camera shake.
Furthermore, a film magazine accommodating chamber is formed at another side of the lens barrel opposing the above-described grip portion. In a case where the film winding device is disposed in the above-described portion, the moment is generated around an axis which runs in parallel to the optical axis, that is, around a direction in which the grip portion extends. As a result, camera shake will be generated at the time of the photographing operation.
If another structure, which is, as shown in FIG. 13, arranged in such a manner that a grip portion 101 extending in a direction of the height of a camera 100 is formed so as to prevent the separation of the arm of the photographer from the body when the grip portion 101 is held by the right hand of the photographer, is employed in order to prevent the above-described problems, the fingers of the right hand of the photographer, specifically, the thumb 104 undesirably touches the face of the photographer when the photographer looks in the finder optical system. As a result, the photographer feels uncomfortable and the fingers will obstruct the photographer when he attempts to look in the finder optical system.
Furthermore, the camera 100, the shape of which is arranged as described above, encounters a problem in that the left-hand wrist touches a lower end portion 105 of the camera 100 opposing the grip portion 101 in a case where the left hand of the photographer is placed along an outer wall 103 of a lens barrel 102. As a result, the camera 100 will be undesirably moved, causing a problem to be generated in that the camera 100 cannot be stably supported by the photographer.